A. L. Beattie

Alfred Luther Beattie (1852-1920), [T. A. McGavin, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand", vol. 1 (Wellington: New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, 1987-91), pg. 53.] typically referred to as A. L. Beattie, [In all the literature cited in the references, almost every mention of Beattie refers to him by his initials; only once is his full name given.] was a pioneering locomotive engineer. Although not born in New Zealand, he gained fame as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) between 1900 and 1913. During this time, Beattie designed the Q class, the first original 4-6-2 steam locomotive class in the world, and he was also one of the earliest people to utilise other wheel arrangements.

Early life

Born in 1852, Beattie had immigrated to New Zealand, then a British colony, by his early twenties. Very little is known about his life before joining NZR in 1876. In February 1897, Beattie was given the position of Locomotive Engineer at Addington Workshops in Christchurch. [McGavin, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand", pg. 53.] Unlike in some countries, where "locomotive engineer" is the title of regular train drivers, the title in New Zealand referred to a specific position that oversaw the design and construction of new steam locomotives and the maintenance and enhancement of existing locomotives.

Career as Chief Mechanical Engineer

In April 1900, the previous Chief Mechanical Engineer, Thomas Forth Rotherham, left NZR to work for the Western Australian Government Railways and was succeeded by A. L. Beattie. [D. B. Leitch, "Railways of New Zealand" (Melbourne: Lothian Publishing, 1972), pg. 167.] When Beattie was appointed to the position, the title was "Locomotive Superintendent", but it was restyled as Chief Mechanical Engineer early in his term, between July 1901 and April 1902. [McGavin, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand", pg. 53.] During his time in the role, Beattie designed a number of innovative and original locomotives. He retired after holding the position for thirteen years and was succeeded by Henry Hughlings Jackson on 13 October 1913. [E. J. McClare, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand", vol. 2 (Wellington: New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, 1987-91), pg. 113.]

The Q class

Beattie was almost instantly faced with a problem upon appointment as Chief Mechanical Engineer: New Zealand's railway network was expanding, traffic volumes were growing, faster speeds were required, and accordingly, a more powerful type of locomotive was required. [ [http://www.techhistory.co.nz/19thcentury/Steam.htm#Anchor-Th-31427 History of Technical Innovation in New Zealand - The Steam Railways] ] Furthermore, although this new class was to haul the heaviest and fastest expresses, it was to burn low grade lignite coal from Canterbury and Otago. Baldwin Locomotive Works recommended a camelback design to solve the problem, but Beattie conceived the idea of an enhanced 4-6-0 U^B class locomotive with a two-wheel trailing truck to support a wide Wootten firebox. [Leitch, "Railways of New Zealand", pg. 167.] This created a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement under Whyte notation, and an order was placed with Baldwin for thirteen locomotives to Beattie's specifications in 1901. These locomotives became the Q class, and the first entered service on 24 December 1901 [ [http://www.trainweb.org/nzsteam/q462_reg.htm Q class 4-6-2 register] ] after being shipped across the Pacific Ocean. This voyage led to the 4-6-2 arrangement being nicknamed the "Pacific" type, and it became a popular arrangement worldwide. [ [http://www.techhistory.co.nz/19thcentury/Steam.htm#Anchor-Th-31427 History of Technical Innovation in New Zealand - The Steam Railways] ]

The A class

Described as the "triumph of Beattie's term in office", the A class was designed in 1905 for service on the Main South Line and the nearly-completed North Island Main Trunk Railway. [Leitch, "Railways of New Zealand", pg. 170.] It was a further development of the Q class and earlier 4-6-0 designs such as the U class, seeking to rectify faults with those designs and improve efficiency and hauling power. Beattie created the initial design before passing it on to Chief Draughtsman G. A. Pearson to complete, [ [http://www.railsoc.org.nz/act/history-3.htm NZR&LS - A Historical Byline] ] and when the first members of the A class entered service in 1906, they were considered to be the country's most handsome locomotives. [ [http://www.trainweb.org/nzsteam/a_4-6-2.html New Zealand Steam Locomotives - A/Ad class 4-6-2] and Eric Heath and Bob Stott, "Classic Steam Locomotives of New Zealand" (Wellington: Grantham House, 1993), pg. 52.]

The X class

After pioneering the Pacific wheel arrangement, Beattie went on to pioneer the 4-8-2 "Mountain" type. The A class locomotives were not sufficiently powerful to tackle the steep grades on the North Island Main Trunk, and Beattie's solution was the 4-8-2 X class. [Leitch, "Railways of New Zealand", pg. 171.] Designed in 1908 for the opening of the Trunk, the first of eighteen Xs entered service on 9 January 1909, [ [http://www.trainweb.org/nzsteam/x_reg.htm X class 4-8-2 register] ] and they were some of the largest and most powerful locomotives in New Zealand. [ [http://www.trainweb.org/nzsteam/x_class.html X class 4-8-2] ]

Other locomotives

Beattie introduced a number of other classes during his term, though none so notable as the Q, A, and X classes. These included tank locomotives such as 1903's W^F class, 1910's W^G class, and 1913's W^W class. [Leitch, "Railways of New Zealand", pp. 170 and 172.] Beattie was also one of, if not the first to employ the 4-6-4T arrangement - the 1902 conversions of three B class locomotives into the W^E class and the W^G and W^W are some of the earliest examples in the world of the 4-6-4T arrangement.

References